Alex Pereira may be feared inside the Octagon, but outside of it, he’s got jokes. Just ask social media personality, Nina Marie Daniele, his friend, frequent collaborator, and now the latest victim of a classic tire shop prank that left fans and fighters cracking up. In a scene that’s equal parts wholesome and hilarious, Daniele found herself sitting on the floor of a tire shop, curiously watching as ‘Poatan’ went to work on what looked like a leaky tire.
It seemed like a normal day until it wasn’t. With a straight face, Pereira poured water into the tire to check for air bubbles, then hooked up the air compressor. ‘Nina Drama’, as she’s also known, clueless to what was coming, asked questions from the floor. Then, a sudden burst of air exploded from the tire, splashing water all over her. She jumped up with a scream, soaked and stunned, while Pereira and everyone around him burst into laughter.
Cue the birthday wishes. In the caption for the post, Daniele wrote, “NO CHAMA @alexpoatanpereira Happy Birthday Poatan”. In another post on her Instagram story, she stood outside the very shop where it all went down, smiling beside the Brazilian knockout artist. Her words? “Where dreams come true”
After all, that same tire shop holds more than just old memories for ‘Poatan’. Long before he became a UFC world champion, Alex Pereira spent years working at the shop. He started the job as a teenager after dropping out of middle school, helping his father and building strength through physical labor.
In fact, in a previous interview, he credited those years of hardship as a source of his thunderous knockout power as he shared, “I helped my father with construction work, as a bricklayer’s assistant and then I worked in the tire shop for 14 years. I started this job very early [in life], and I think I was increasing my strength… Then, with all the training, it improved.”
So when Alex Pereira pranked Nina Marie Daniele at the same shop where his journey began, it wasn’t just comedy it was a full-circle moment as we take a look at what the fans and fighters had to say!
Nina Marie Daniele falls victim to Alex Pereira’s tire shop antics, leaving fans and fighters in splits
A man who’s familiar with both Alex Pereira and ‘Nina Drama’, Sean Strickland dropped a double emoji clap, while heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira added, “ bravo.” Another Brazilian MMA star Luana Santos chimed in with a long “Kkkkkkkkkkkkkk”, which is reportedly the Brazilian version of LOL!
One fan wrote, “On today’s episode of ‘Chama Punked’, referencing the growing chemistry and dynamic between Pereira and Nina Marie Daniele, this fan dubbed the moment like it was part of the iconic Ashton Kutcher-led reality show. And honestly, if this duo launched their own version, it would probably trend instantly. What do you think?
Another fan chimed in with, “had me smiling the whole time” It captured Pereira’s quiet, cold-blooded sense of humor. He rarely laughs before the punchline, but when the payoff comes, it’s always gold, just like in his fights.
Someone else added, “All coldly calculated” This fan picked up on Alex Pereira’s poker face during the setup. Just like in the cage, ‘Poatan’ gave nothing away. Not even a smirk. That’s part of what made the prank so effective!
And finally, one fan pointed out, “The quietest joke to play with the rubber rookie” A clever way to connect the prank to Pereira’s tire shop roots. Digging into the origins of the prank, this is possibly a tradition to welcome rookies to the shop. And this whole incident? It might just be a clever rite of passage!
To wrap things up, from championship knockouts to perfectly timed pranks, Alex Pereira continues to show there’s more to him than just power. This birthday moment wasn’t just about laughs, it was about legacy, loyalty, and a reminder of where it all began!
The post Alex Pereira’s Birthday Prank on Nina Drama Sparks Wholesome Response From UFC Stars & Fans appeared first on EssentiallySports.
